Sky
SKY
Biography
Discography
Album Pages
SKY

“Biography January 2013 Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Genres: Acoustic, Classical, Electronic, New Age.
Sound description: Evocative, ethereal, original and improvisational.

History
SKY is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who was born in Germany as Ronny Roman Bunke (1956). At the age of seventeen he met Memphis Slim at the Montreaux Jazz festival and set his sight on music.
Sky immigrated to the United States in 1983 and set up a recording studio across the Bay from San Francisco.
His debut album Dreams was released in 1988.
Six years later he started touring with his own music throughout the USA.
In 1999 SKY finished Union a solo album with compositions for the Piano, 12 String Guitar, Flute, Bouzouki, Vocals, Synthesizer and Sitar.

Influences
New Age, north Indian ragas, electronic and classical music.

Current status
SKY's multifaceted musical interests include classical music, oriental hued meditation and world music. The compositions of Sky have matured and crystalized into a definitely individual form. Sky released his 10th CD 'The Universe is Young' on December 2012, 27 years after taking the name Sky. Recordings of the Sitar, Classical Guitar and Keyboards. 'Elope' was released in 2018 and the current release 'Letter from Sisyphus' was released in December 2021.

Extras

SKY's music has been featured on over 40 compilations, including The Healing (Universal), Free Spirits (TIME LIFE) and various Best of New Age collections. ”

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Discography


Album Name Released By Release Date
Dreams Magic Music 1988
Born in Silence Magic Music 1989
Beyond Passion Magic Music 1990
Khemennu, Land of the Moon Magic Music 1992
Roses in the Sky Magic Music 1994
Union Music of Florence 1999
The Twins Music of Florence 2009
Love in Grace Music of Florence 2009
Tiefe Music of Florence 2010
The Universe is Young Music of Florence 2012
ElopeMusic of Florence2018
Letter from SisyphusMusic of Florence2021


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Album Pages


Dreams

Released April 1988
Instrumentation on Dreams
classical guitar, flute, synthesizer, sampler, drum machine, mandola cello and electric guitar.

Musicians
Skyclassical guitar, flute, synthesizer, sampler and drum machine
Govimandola cello and electric guitar.

1. Tibet 2. Sunshine on Ios 3. Old Ages 4. Completion 5. Gentle Sorrow 6. The Shores of the High Priestess

Dreams was my debut. In 1985 I left the spiritual community I was part of and arrived in San Francisco with $150.00 in my pocket and I had only one dream, to make music. I changed my name to Sky and started to acquire keyboards and studio gear, spending every dollar I earned. I lived in this little place, just my bed and keyboards and started to record. Tibet was very close to my heart, I had been in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama resides. So the first song I made in memory of my first journey to India in 1978. It was always about meditation music and some kind of spiritual connection through music. 'The shores of the High Priestess' was born out of my many years of meditation practice and it became a song that made this album a classic. (See review page). Dreams was completed on May 24, 1987, the day the Golden Gate bridge had its 50th birthday. I drove out to Tiburon by the Bay and stopped the car to watch the fireworks and a lady pulls up in her car and hands me a champagne glass and she fills it up and we sang 'happy birthday'. I felt so blessed. It was great!!! My friend painted the album cover for me and in April 1988 Dreams was released. Dreams is very well suited for meditation and inspiration.
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Born in Silence

Released June 1989
Instrumentation on Born in Silence
classical guitar, flute, synthesizer, sampler, drum machine, cello, piano, clavichord and voice.

Musicians
Skysynthesizer, classical guitar, flute, drum machine, sampler, clavichord and piano
David Zoecklercello
Lisa Fruehpiano accompaniment
Evelyn Pontoniovoice

1. Born in Silence 2. Gemini Dance 3. For Lovers 4. The Storyteller 5. Welcome 6. Movement 1 7. The Night Sky 8. Movement 2 9. Sun and Rain

Born in Silence was my second album. I had moved into a new place and enjoyed the addition of a new keyboard. I was in need for a cello player, and I was introduced to David Zoeckler, who had performed with the Boulder Symphony. I was fortunate to have found David and we had a good time recording. I won't forget the time when we chose to record David in the walk in closet. We liked the sound in there and set up the mikes. We were really lucky, it was just big enough. Sitting down to record, David managed to bow without hitting the wall. One of the songs that David is playing the cello on is 'For Lovers.' This song was actually written in Germany in 1981. I shared a flat in M�nster, a major student town and was in love and wrote 'For Lovers' for my girlfriend. Space which includes 'Movement 1,' 'The Night Sky' and 'Movement 2' was my first try at a multiple song structure. I kept them as separate tracks though and I guess that was a good idea since 'The Night Sky' got a lot of airplay. On 'Sun and Rain' I had help with the accompaniment on the piano from Lisa Frueh. Evelyn Pontonio sings on this song as well. Born in Silence was released in 1989 and it became a favorite with massage practitioners. The Department for Health called to use the music for their non smoking program. I had many compliments for the healing and relaxing qualities of Born in Silence. Lots of parents love the way the music calms their children. TIME LIFE included 'Sun and Rain' as a classic New Age piece on a compilation CD called 'Free Spirits'. That was in 1996 seven years after Born in Silence was released. Recommended for healing and massage work.
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Beyond Passion

Released August 1990
Instrumentation on Beyond Passion
grand piano, violin, cello, voice, drums, tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, classical guitar, synthesizer and electric guitar.

Musicians
Skysynthesizer, classical guitar, flute, grand piano, tibetan bowls and crystal bowls
David Zoecklercello and clarinet
David Ballakrishnanviolin
Mark Karanelectric guitar and classical guitar
Herbert Waltlpiano
Evelyn Pontoniovoice
Marco Zonkatablas and drums
Terry Lee drums

1. Overture 2. New Life 3. The Magician 4. Reflection 5. Dawn of Man 6. Moment in Time 7. God of Thunder 8. Beyond Passion 9. 1624 A.D. 10. Cornelius 11. The Ballerina

Beyond Passion came together fluidly. David Zoeckler was playing the cello again like he did on "Born in Silence." This time I decided to record in a professional studio and with the help of a co-producer. I had heard about Warren Dennis who was also working with Constance Demby, who created "Novus Magnificat" a milestone album in the space music genre. Constance and I were living in the same town by then and were to become friends down the road. I made some soundtrack recordings for 'Moment in Time.' My friend Om, who was working on his CD "Earth Awakening" and me went to record school children. We could sit in during class and record. The children on 'Moment in Time' were playing catch during recess and you can hear the bells from the church nearby. A moment in time. Warren knew a lot of musicians and I made contact with David Ballakrishnan, who plays the violin with the "Turtle Island Quartet" and is now a composer in residence at the Nashville Orchestra. Herbert Waltl played the piano on 'God of Thunder.' He is winner of two Grammys for producing Ray Charles, "Genius Loves Company." As musician he recorded over fifty classical piano works mostly of Beethoven. Evelyn Pontonio added vocals. Terry Lee plays drums. Marco Zonka plays tablas and drums. We were born on the same day and in the same year. Marco studied with Ali Akhar Khan at the college just around the corner. We met through a friend of mine. It is uncanny how many parallels we have. When we were fifteen, for example, we both hitchhiked through the lands. Marco was dressed up in Lederhosen hitching through the United States and I, dressed up in shorts, tails, bow tie and top hat, hitched through Europe. Both of us ended up in Fairfax, California, playing music. Beyond Passion was a hit for me. It made it to the Top Ten New Age albums in Canada and to the Top Twenty on Musical Starstreams.
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Khemennu, Land of the Moon

Released August 1992
Instrumentation on Khemennu, Land of the moon
piano, violin, voice, drums, accordion, saxophone, chapman stick, classical guitar, synthesizer, pedal steel guitar and electric guitar.

Musicians
Skypiano, synthesizer and classical guitar
Mark Karanelectric guitar
Robert Powellpedal steel guitar
Teed Rockwellchapman stick
Jennifer Youngdahlvoice
Annicia Balazsvoice and toning
Gus Garelickviolin
Jim Boggioaccordion
Jamison Frosttenor and alto saxophone

1. The Doorway 2. Departure 3. Inward Movement 4. Pentangle 5. Crystalchild 6. Garden of Live 7. Insel des Mondes 8. Initiation 9. Circle of Life 10. Melodia del Cuore 11. A New Beginning

Khemennu, Land of the moon was my fourth album. I had released a CD per year and now I was looking for new inspiration. I started to live more at night than at day. Often I found myself walking around the reservoir composing to the rhythm of my steps. The name Khemennu came after I had finished the songs in June 1992. I found a story by Laraine Mesavage about the Egyptian mythology and the moon calendar. Upper Egypt was once called Khemennu, the "Land of the moon." I had no doubts about the title. When I read that, I knew. Many friends were helping me on this album. The sound recordings from the whales at the beginning of 'Circle of Life' are recorded by Paul Horn who graciously allowed me to use them. There is also the sound of a geyser. For a while I was helping Constance Demby as an engineer. When Conny was performing on Lanzarote, a vulcanic island in the Canaries, we drove around the island and found this little hole in the ground, a tiny geyser. We put a microphone close by and recorded this sound. Every so often it would spout steam. You can hear it on 'A New Beginning.' Robert Powell played the pedal steel guitar and Mark Karan, who now plays with "Bob Weir & Ratdog" plays the electric guitar on 'Circle of Life.' My teacher at that time did the toning on 'Initiation' and the dolphin like sounds at the end of 'Circle of Life.' The late Jim Boggio, see photo, and his music partner Gus Garelick play the accordion and the gypsy violin on 'Garden of Life.' The saxophones, tenor and alto, are played by Jamison Frost. Jennifer Youngdahl and Teed Rockwell complete the ensemble. Khemennu, Land of the moon became a concept album. A soundtrack to a spiritual journey. Recommended for meditation and exploration.
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Roses in the Sky

Released May 1994
Instrumentation on Roses in the Sky
classical guitar, synthesizer, piano, percussion, drum machine, twelve string guitar, bass and bouzouki.

Musicians
Skyclassical guitar, synthesizer, piano, drum machine, twelve string guitar and bouzouki.
Terry Lee percussion
Skip Knierimbass

1. Newland 2. Gentle Waves 3. When I close my eyes and dream 4. Sacred Meeting 5. On Wings of Freedom 6. Love Forever 7. The Meadow

Roses in the Sky was a happy time. I just came back from Germany. I had not been there in eleven years. 1994 had just started and this time I had a large studio space, large enough for a white dove. My dove was very peaceful and tender. I learned a little patience from her. When she was sitting in the flower pot, I would put my finger out for her to climb onto. It took some minutes before she put one foot on my finger, all the while looking at me, and then, a minute later she put the other one. A magical and peaceful time. I was living with a wonderful friend and photographer Shoshana Korson and she was taking the pictures and Steve Fischer's graphic design completed the album art. The house I was living in was surrounded by Redwood trees. As I was recording 'The Meadow,' I went on the little wooden balcony which was thirty feet above the ground and spread my arms to touch this tall young Redwood tree. I closed my eyes and did not know if the balcony was moving or the tree. With closed eyes you might as well have been on sea holding onto the mast of a ship. I hoped to gather strength, inside, connection and deeper feeling. I meditated like that for a while and then I went inside to record the two classical guitars that you can hear on 'The Meadow.' There is a part called the 'Meadow of the Unicorns.' In those days I was driving up to Mount Tamalpais and would hang out for inspiration. One day I came across this meadow, one tree on a little rise and there was fog in the air. I added a little fantasy and that's how I got the name for the fifth part. 'The Meadow' is a six part song over sixteen minutes long. Its something like a musical story set to nature. Roses was finished when Terry Lee and his brother Skip Knierim showed up to lay down some percussion and bass tracks on 'Newland' and on 'Love Forever.' 'Love Forever' got picked up by Country and Western radio stations. The twelve string guitar was the foundation for this song. Roses in the Sky was published in May 1994 and I started to tour and left in October, heading across the country to the East coast and back to California. Roses in the Sky keeps on being one of my favorites. Recommended highly.
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Union

Released October 1999
Instrumentation on Union
twelve string guitar, piano, flute, synthesizer, sitar, drum machine, percussion and vocal.

Musician
Sky

1. Sunday on Mars 2. Sleeping Helena 3. I Am Walking 4. Sacred Seeds 5. Dancing in Jerusalem 6. Awake 7. On the Dreamtrain 8. Water over Water 9. The Kiss 10. Above the Lake 11. Masquerade in Spring 12. One Day 13. Reprise

Union was a solo effort. I went to Egypt and Israel to get inspiration and silence in the desert. I prepared myself for this work. After six weeks I flew back to to the United States. I had moved away from the Bay area and lived in a little house in Medina, Ohio. For seven months I locked myself away going deep. On the summer solstice I drove out to Amish land and sat down under a tree at sunrise to record the two poems that I had written. At night I would lie on a little raft and float on a pond nearby, composing the lyrics for 'I am walking.' Images in this song are from the time when I was sailing up the Nile from Assuam to Luxor. The captain sailed all through the night. It was breathtaking. The song 'Dancing in Jerusalem' is inspired by the time I spent in Jerusalem. I heard music while I was walking through the old town. I followed the sound and came around the corner onto a small plaza. There, the music teacher was playing and the school kids were dancing all around; I had so many blessed moments on my journeys. Union was finished in October 1996, but the CD was not released until 1999 at that point I added and recorded 'The Kiss' on the sitar. Three hundred hand signed copies were printed. One of my favorite tracks is 'One day,' which I dedicated to my longtime friend Gaffur who played with me on my first recordings dating back to 1980. Union traverses many landscapes. Starting out with 'Sunday on Mars' and traveling on the 'Dreamtrain' to the Highlands above the lake.
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The Twins

Released March 2009
Instrumentation on The Twins
synthesizer, piano, bouzouki, sitar, harmonica, flute, ravanahatta, tamboura and drum machine.

Musician
Sky

CD 1 Mesa Times
1. space age 2. vortex piano 3. harpy 4. D flat major 5. sweet dreams 6. menuett a nature 7. choir space 8. morning sun 9. Julika 10. melody 11. space #12 12. melody TV 13. peace bubbles 14. I love 15. night train
CD 2 Silent Ears
1. Gingi 2. dripping time 3. the crow 4. tonebird 5. silent ears 6. time after time 7. Leh 8. call for you 9. winter of love 10. helena 11. gute Nacht

The Twins
The last album I had released was Union in 1999. Almost ten years past and I had recorded lots of songs. In winter 2008 I sat down and went through all of them, picking the crop. The only thing I needed now was to dust them up and fix unwanted artifacts like telephone ringing in the back of a recording. I found just such a software, especially for issues like that. In the summer my friend Marlene gave me her van so I could get away for a while and I went to Nederland, Colorado. For two weeks I sat in the van hooked up to an electric outlet and mastered the songs for The Twins. Ten years after I had recorded Silent ears at the same place.

The Twins Silent Ears
After I returned from a wonderful journey to India in 1997 I was happy like a kite but had no place to live. Where to now? You have heard about the musician without a girlfriend? I visited friends of mine in the Rockies and decided to stay. I found a place to live, high up and close to Nederland, Colorado. One of the most scenic places I had the fortune to live in. I fixed up a little studio and made it cozy and started to record. After a while the ceiling was leaking every time my room mate took a shower upstairs. It dripped an inch from the mixing board, lucky me. I had hours of soundscapes that I had brought back from India. When I was there I had a little portable DAT tape recorder with me and a good microphone as well. I recorded everything I could put my ears on. Once I passed by a tiny school and the children were singing the alphabet all in unison ever so sweet or at night I walked up to a snoring cow and put the microphone to her nose. There seem to be as many soundscapes to record as there are pictures to be taken. I recorded traffic, chanting sadhu, tea house conversations, a pond full of frogs at night, temples, a train ride; pretty much a kaleidoscope of soundscapes from all over India. First I had to choose the sounds that I wanted to use for Silent ears before I could record the bouzouki. I needed long clips so I chose the ones that I recorded during my stay in Auroville at the Bay of Bengal. When I started to record I played back the India soundtrack through the loud speakers and played the bouzouki to it. I was still in touch with India. I recorded once and then I added the sitar, harmonica and some other colors. When a long Colorado winter came to an end, I moved on, down the road to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am still here. Silent ears, an impression of India set to bouzouki and sitar. Something different.

The Twins Mesa Times Time had passed. It was 2004 and I got back on my feet and I moved into a place where I actually could stand up straight with shoes on. I moved out of a little trailer, where I had to remove my shoes to do that. In my new home there were a couple of solar panels to make the electricity. Mesa Times is kind of a green recording. The cabin was close to nowhere removed from any influence, off the grid. Once a woodpecker flew down the stovepipe and I picked him up from the rafters and let him out. He shot out of my hands like an arrow and that was pretty much the news out there. I bought an old piano from the turn of the last century with ivory keys so nicked from the playing over time that you wonder what it all had heard. I was working and living in peace and quiet. For rent, I was working a couple of times a week at my neighbors horse ranch as a stable hand, and life was good and I was single. There was only one thing on my mind though, music. I started studying the piano in preparation for the symphony I wanted to write. Sometimes I would just sit at the keyboards and do something different and over the two years I had gathered enough material for a CD. On New Year 2006 I left the Mesa and moved to town. Mesa Times has something from a little further away.
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Tiefe

Released in 2011
Instrumentation on Tiefe
Piano and synthesizer.

Musicians
Sky - synthesizer and piano

1. Mystery Wave 2. Segnung 3. Pianu 4. New Tea 5. Tiefe 6. Mystery 7. Little Carousel 8. Unknown 9. Flickering Candle 10. Waterspace 11. Eleven 12. Waterfall 13. Song for Mala

After finishing 'Mesa Times' from the album 'The twins,' I moved into town, to Santa Fe. My bedroom became my studio. How many instruments can you fit on a pin of a needle next to your bed? I started to layer different sounds on the keyboards and played with different velocities, meaning depending how hard I hit a key, the keys would trigger different sounds. Once I had set up the sounds that I liked, I started recording. In the middle of the recordings I moved out of town again and set up shop in Galisteo to finish the recordings for Tiefe. Deep and beautiful.
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Love in Grace

Released March 2009
Instrumentation on Love in Grace
piano, harpsichord, synthesizer, sampler, violin and bouzouki.

Musicians
Skypiano, harpsichord, synthesizer, sampler and bouzouki.
Hilary Schachtviolin

1. love in grace 2. scent of a dove 3. memories 4. balance 5. spirit 6. evernever 7. silence

Love in Grace
I was living in Florence, Alabama, when I started to get the idea of writing a symphony. I went to the library to read all I could find about the musicians and the music of the classical period. I set up my keyboard and started writing down ideas. Sometimes when I went to bed at night I could hear music in my head and change and add instruments at will. That was an enormous feeling, scary as well. I thought, "when it does not stop to play in my head, what then?". I put the symphony on hold and moved to my hometown to record a new album. I was recording different music for a while. Electronica, something more rhythm oriented. Once I got back to the United States in 2002, I continued to compose the symphony. I bought an old piano and continued to learn and find new ideas. In October 2007, I finally felt ready to record. I recorded the parts over a three day period but to produce the album took an eternity. The following winter I did a few overdubs and asked Hilary Schacht to play the violin that you can hear on the song 'spirit.' During the recording break I asked: "Hilary, what can I give you in return for your playing?" She answered: "I am happy with a clipping from your spider plant." How can I not call the song 'spirit'? I get highest praise for the deep meditative quality of Love in Grace.
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The Universe is Young

Recorded 2012
Instrumentation on The Universe is Young
Sitar, classical guitar, electric guitar, keyboards and synthesizer.

Musicians
Sky - sitar, classical guitar, electric guitar, keyboards and synthesizer.

1. Midnight Light 2. Interlude 3. New Grace 4. Inner Light 5. Snowflakes 6. Tender Bender 7. Dreamwater 8. Alanda 9. Intermezzo

The Universe is Young
This album was a major effort from composing and recording to producing. I started to compose in spring of 2012 and recorded in summer. There was a lot of listening to do and night after night I was working as a producer. Finally in late fall the album was completed and I must say I was happily and completely exhausted. Enjoy.
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